


Take Care

by thelonelywriter



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Caring Dean, Fluff, Human Castiel, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Sam Ships It, Sick Castiel, Sick Dean Winchester, Sick Sam Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-31
Updated: 2016-03-31
Packaged: 2018-05-30 09:46:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6418921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelonelywriter/pseuds/thelonelywriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Sam, Dean, and Cas are all hit with the flu, it's up to them to take care of one another. Dean's caring qualities start to show as he focuses on Castiel more than both Sam and himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take Care

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, this was done for the wonderful prompt sent to me on tumblr by [thinkdouble-pink:](http://thinkdouble-pink) _Hi just found you on A03 and just wanted to say you are a really good writer. I have a request. Could you write a fic about Dean, Cas, and Sam all catching the flu around the same time and they all have to take care of each other, but Cas is slightly sicker than the other two so he gets a little bit more mother-henning from Dean and Sam totally notices and ships it. That would make me very happy._ So, with that I did the best that I could and I hope that you and everyone else out there likes it!! :)

“I’m not _sick_ , Sam,” Dean informed Sam, his voice nasally, the statement followed by a sneeze. Sam raised an eyebrow at Dean, who sat at the kitchen table with a mug of coffee, still in his pajamas.

“Really? Because you sound like you are. Makes sense too because I’m still getting over the flu,” Sam said, looking at Dean with amusement. Dean shook his head.

“Sam, I’m not sick, I’m fine. And, hey, Cas is fine too, you’re getting better, we’re all fine. And I heard about this case in-”

“I think that I’m sick,” Castiel stated plainly as he shuffled into the kitchen, looking like he was _definitely_ sick. Dean blinked at Sam who was looking smug. “I mean, I’ve only been human for so long and I’ve never been sick before, but I think that I’m.” A loud sneeze followed by a sniffle. “Probably sick,” he finished, glancing between Sam and Dean. Cas cocked his head, his brow furrowed together once he caught sight of Dean. “Dean, you don’t look well,” Castiel mused. Dean rolled his eyes.

“Cas, I’m fine, and you aren’t sick,” Dean said, earning a debateable look from both Sam and Cas. Dean reached his hand out to Cas. “C’mere, lemme’ feel your forehead,” Dean instructed, and Castiel sighed as he walked forwards, plopping down in a chair next to Dean. Dean shuffled a little closer to him, bringing his hand up and pressing it tenderly to Cas’ forehead. Immediately Dean’s hand was met with hot skin, obviously showing that Castiel had a fever. The next thing Dean knew, Cas was bringing his own hand up and pressing it to Dean’s forehead.

“You’re burning up, Dean,” Castiel informed him, causing Dean to scoff, swatting at Cas’ hand until he brought it back to his side. Dean pulled away from Cas reluctantly, letting his hand drop to the table. Dean threw his gaze back up to Cas, who was looking at him with those same curious blue eyes that were now accompanied with bags underneath them. Castiel and Dean admittedly stared at each other for a little longer than they should have, but neither of them really cared. Dean finally sighed, looking away from Cas and back at Sam.

“Alright, fine, Cas is sick,” Dean relented.

“So are you, Dean,” Cas cut in. Dean glared at Cas, but sighed.

“Okay, I’m a little sick, it’s just a cold,” Dean said, raising his arms up before dropping them back down to the table. 

“Well, Sam just had the flu so I’m guessing that that’s what we have, Dean. And Sam is still getting over it for that matter,” Castiel sighed. He glanced at Dean’s mug of coffee, sliding it over to him and picking it up to take a sip.

“Dude, what the Hell? That’s my coffee,” Dean grumbled as he took the mug from Cas’ hands.

“Well, you can still drink it, we’re both sick so it doesn’t make a difference,” Castiel said with a shrug. Dean let out a sigh, putting the coffee down and dropping his head into his hands. “Alright, Cas, just go lay down, I’ll bring you a cloth for your forehead,” Dean told Castiel, who tilted his head again.

“But, what about you, Dean? You’re just as sick as I am,” Castiel said, and Dean raised an eyebrow at him.

“Cas, no offense, but you should look in the mirror. You’re a Hell of alot worse than I am,” Dean informed Cas, who sighed, looking away from Dean.

“Fine,” he grumbled, rising from his seat and heading back towards his bedroom. Dean rested his head back in his hands, and Sam leaned forwards.

“Dean,” Sam began, catching Dean’s attention. “Listen, we’re all sick now, we just have to take care of each other. The more we do that, the faster we get back to hunting,” he told Dean, who didn’t want to accept it, but did, realizing that Sam was the rational one at this point.

“Alright, fine,” Dean mumbled, taking a moment before standing up in his chair. “I’m gonna go grab Cas that washcloth,” he told Sam, heading out of the kitchen and towards the bathroom.

Once he got the washcloth, running it under the cold tap, he turned it off, wringing it out a bit before heading back to Castiel’s room. When he got there, Cas was but a head poking out of a bundle of blankets. “Cas, you’re burning up, you really need that many blankets?” Dean inquired as he walked up to the side of Cas’ bed. Castiel nodded as best he could, turning from his side to his back so that Dean could rest the cloth along his forehead.

“I’m _cold_ , Dean,” Castiel grumbled, looking up at Dean with tired eyes.

“You want some more blankets then?” Dean inquired, and Castiel nodded. 

“Alright, I’ll be back,” Dean told Castiel, who simply watched him walk out of his room, trying to get comfortable under the covers.

Dean wandered to the linen closet and pulled out a couple more blankets before returning to Castiel’s room. “Alright, are these gonna be enough?” Dean asked as he draped a few blankets over Cas, who nodded. “Just try and get some sleep, Cas,” Dean told Castiel, catching eye contact with him and then holding it.

“Remember that you’re sick too, Dean. You need to take care of yourself,” Castiel told Dean kindly. Dean couldn’t help but smile a little.

“I know, Cas,” Dean replied, holding Castiel’s gaze for a few more seconds. “Call me if you need anything, alright?” Dean said, and Castiel nodded once more before Dean left the room, leaving Cas to rest.

\---

It was the next morning, and Castiel had woken up feeling worse, if even possible. He groaned, rolling around uncomfortably under the covers, the pile of blankets that were now far too hot. He kicked them all off with a huff of air. Then, he heard his stomach rumble. He was actually a little surprised that he was even hungry considering how awful he felt. Still he wasn’t going to deny himself food.

He began to roll out of bed begrudgingly in search of food, but then he remembered what Dean had said about calling if Cas needed anything. Castiel considered it, then pushed it aside. Dean was sick too, he didn’t want to bother him. Cas hated seeing Dean sick too. It made him wish that he still had his wings so that he could heal Dean with just the touch of two fingers to his forehead. Castiel sighed, trying to push the thoughts away as he rose from bed.

Castiel wandered to the kitchen, finding that no one was there. He stood in the doorway, pondering for a moment what, exactly, he should eat. But then it dawned on him. Soup. That’s like, the staple for sick people. Castiel sighed once more as he began to look through the cupboards. Did they even have soup, just regular canned soup? Cas didn’t do the grocery shopping, he had no idea. But then he opened one cupboard and found just what he was looking for; chicken noodle soup. Now all he needed to do was grab a pot and pour it in, warm it up over the stove, and put it in a bowl. He could do this.

He took out the soup and set it on the counter before searching for a pot in the cabinets, but it took awhile to actually find one. When he did, he went to pull it out, but jostled a few other pots and pans in the process that fell onto the floor in a loud clatter. Castiel cringed at the noise that both Sam and Dean heard from their rooms. Dean thought for a moment to grab his gun, but then he remembered that _Cas_ lived with them and as Cas had said, he had only been human for so long. 

Both Sam and Dean rose from their beds where they were resting, and Dean, a little more worried that Cas had done something utterly bad, walked faster to the source of the sound that came from the kitchen. When he got to the doorway, he saw Cas standing by the stove, a mess of pots and pans on the floor by his feet. When he heard Dean enter the kitchen, he looked up at him with deer-in-the-headlight eyes. Dean blinked at him. “Cas, what are you doing?” Dean asked simply. 

“I, um, I was going to make soup,” Castiel croaked out. Sam came up behind Dean, looking over his shoulder.

“Cas, what-?” Sam began. Dean sighed as he began walking towards Castiel.

“He was trying to make soup,” Dean informed Sam, who simply watched as Dean walked over to Cas, kneeling down to put everything back in the cabinet. “Cas, didn’t I tell you to call me if you needed something?” Dean began, closing the cabinet and picking up one pot, then walking over to the drawer where they kept the can opener.

“Dean, you’re sick too, I didn’t want to bother you,” Castiel explained. Sam said nothing, just crossed his arms and leaned in the doorway, watching the exchange.

“Cas, you’re a lot sicker than me. You need the rest more than I do and you’re still new to this whole human thing,” Dean began, placing the pot on the stove and turning it on. “You want something, you don’t have to do it by yourself. Just like Sam said, we need to take care of each other,” Dean went on. Sam laughed a little in his head since so far it was Dean taking care of Cas, nothing else.

Castiel rolled his eyes and Dean caught the motion. “Hey, don’t roll your eyes at me,” he warned, cracking open the can of soup with the can opener.

“Dean, you don’t have to do this,” Castiel said, watching Dean pour the soup into the pot. Dean looked over at him, holding his gaze.

“Do you want this soup?” Dean questioned. Cas furrowed his eyebrows.

“Yes,” he answered cautiously. Dean gave a nod of his head.

“Good, now you’re gonna shut up, go lay down, and wait for me to bring you the soup,” Dean stated in a tone that Castiel recognized as a ‘Cas, don’t fuck with me’ tone, so he just let out an aggravated sigh.

“Fine,” he grumbled, turning away from Dean and walking back towards his room, passing Sam who wore an amused face. Dean glanced over at him and blinked.

“What?” Dean inquired. Sam just shook his head a little.

“You know that you guys argue like an old married couple, right?” Sam asked, causing Dean to blush a little. Sam caught it and grinned even wider.

“Sam, just shut up,” Dean grumbled under his breath as he grabbed a spoon to stir the soup with. Sam kept the grin on his face, saying nothing as he walked out of the kitchen and back towards his room. Sam had to admit that he did find it a little amusing to watch Dean and Cas interact when they were sick. It was kinda sweet to be honest, the way that Dean cared for Cas. Sam would never say anything about it, but he caught all the longing glances, all the sacrifices that the two made for each other. It was kinda hard not to miss, really. With both Cas and Dean being sick, it made everything they did for one another show, just by the actions they took.

\---

Castiel crawled back under the blankets, eagerly awaiting the promised soup. He knew that Dean was putting in a lot of effort to help him, to make him better, and he appreciated it. He didn’t really know how to show Dean how much he appreciated it, but he knew that he wanted to.

Soon enough, Dean was walking into Cas’ room, hot bowl of soup in hands. Castiel sat up in bed, letting Dean hand it to him. “Careful, it’s hot,” Dean warned, straightening up as Cas stirred the soup a little with the spoon.

“Thank you, Dean,” Castiel said, and Dean smiled softly.

“It’s no problem, Cas,” he replied, watching Cas blow on a spoonful to cool it down before taking it between his lips. Lips that Dean definitely did not want to kiss. Ha, not at all. No way. Nope.

“I appreciate what you’re doing for me, Dean,” Castiel said, looking up at Dean and looking into his eyes. The two simply stared for a bit before Dean replied.

“It’s no problem, Cas, really. Promise to call me if you need anything?” Dean asked. Cas blinked, not answering. “Cas,” Dean began. Cas sighed.

“Alright, I promise,” he responded. Dean smiled. 

“Good.”

\---

It was later on that day that Dean was feeling restless. He was trying his best to rest but he felt so helpless being sick like he was. And it got even worse because both Sam and Cas were sick too. Sam was a little better off, but Cas was a nightmare. Dean hated to see him like that. He knew that Cas was human and that meant a lot more injuries, especially because Cas had already proven himself to be clumsy, and the thought made Dean cringe. He didn't want to see that, he didn't want Cas to get hurt.

Dean pulled himself out of his thoughts and shifted in bed, wishing that he could just _do_ something for Christ’s sake. Then it hit him. Tea, he could make tea for Cas.

Dean rolled out of bed and headed to the kitchen, heading straight for the kettle and filling it with water. He turned on the stove and placed it on the burner, sitting down at the table and waiting for it to whistle. A few moments later Sam wandered in in hopes of finding food since it was near lunchtime. He looked curiously at Dean as he went to one of the cabinets. “Can I ask why you're sitting at the table instead of resting?” Sam asked, and Dean nodded towards the kettle.

“I'm making Cas some tea,” he told Sam, who nodded.

“That's nice of you,” Sam simply responded. “You should really have been a nurse, Dean, you're taking such good care of Cas,” Sam teased, causing Dean to roll his eyes.

“He's sick, he needs it,” Dean argued, and Sam shrugged. 

“You're sick too, Dean,” Sam informed Dean as if he didn't already know. Dean sighed.

“I know, but I'm not as sick as Cas, Cas needs the care more than I do,” Dean told Sam, who sat down at the table.

“If you say so,” he replied.

The kettle boiled only minutes later, and Dean got a mug and a teabag, pouring some water in it and picking it up, heading to Cas’ room. When Dean got there, Cas was just waking up from a nap. He eyed the mug curiously and Dean smiled a little, placing the cup on Cas’ bedside table. “I figured you’d want something to help with your throat, so I made you some tea,” Dean told Cas, who couldn't help but smile a little.

“Thank you, Dean,” Castiel said softly, sitting up a little in bed.

“It’s hot, so you might wanna give it a minute to cool down,” Dean instructed, and Castiel nodded. “You need anything else?” Dean inquired, and Castiel looked up at him shyly.

“I'm kinda hungry,” he told Dean quietly as though he was embarrassed about it. But Dean just nodded.

“What do you feel like?” Dean asked, and Castiel scrunched up his nose a little. Dean made a mental note of how cute Cas looked with his nose scrunched up. “We have leftover soup,” Dean supposed, and Cas shook his head. “What about some Ramen?” Dean asked, and Cas seemingly pondered it, then nodded. “Alright, sit tight and I’ll get you that,” Dean told Cas as he left the room. Castiel picked up his tea and couldn't help but smile a little. He had never seen Dean act like this before, even with Sam. It made his heart grow warm. It made him feel like Dean really cared. 

Soon enough, Dean came back with a bowl of hot Ramen, and placed it in Cas’ lap. “What are you going to eat, Dean? You must be hungry too,” Castiel inquired. Dean waved his hand dismissively.

“I’ll just have some leftover soup. I'm not that hungry to begin with,” Dean explained, and Castiel frowned. “What?” he asked. Castiel looked up at him.

“You make me nervous, Dean, you're not resting as much as you should,” Castiel told Dean, who sighed.

“Cas, you don't have to worry about me, I'm fine. I'm resting just like you are, I'm just giving you a little help at the same time,” Dean assured, and Castiel gave him a skeptical look. “Cas, just eat your Ramen. And let me help you, alright?” Dean said. The two simply stared for a moment, but Cas finally turned away with a sigh.

“Fine,” he grumbled. Dean smiled a little.

“Good. I’ll check back in with you later on, alright?” Dean said, and Castiel looked at him with disapproval, but nodded. “Good.”

\---

It was later on in the day and Dean was, once again, restless. He remembered his promise to Cas, however, and got out of bed, heading to Cas’ room. When he got there, he expected Castiel to be awake, but instead, he heard light snoring once he entered the room. He walked closer to Cas' bed and looked down at him fondly. He looked so innocent when he slept, his lips parted, his eyelashes standing out against fair skin.

Dean admittedly stared a little too long, but then finally tore his gaze away from Cas, glancing over to his bedside table where a few empty bowls and an empty mug of tea sat. He was going to reach for them, but then decided that he'd feel Cas' forehead first to see if that temperature had gone down at all. He gently rested his hand against Cas' forehead, his hand met with warm skin. Dean could tell that he was still running a temperature, but it was better than it had been the other day.

Dean pulled away from Cas, taking one last look at him before grabbing the bowls and the mug and heading back out towards the kitchen.

\---

Over the course of the next few days, Sam's amusement grew and grew until he could barely contain it. Sure he had thought about Dean and Cas together like once or twice in the past due to the way they acted around one another, but now he was full out shipping them.

Dean was doing everything he could to get Cas better, he was acting as though Cas was his only child for God’s sake. It was endearing more than anything else really, the way Dean checked on him and brought him cool cloths for his forehead, brought him water and soup and whatever Cas wanted. It made Sam smile in all honesty, the way Dean was acting. And he thought that things really wouldn't change between Dean and Cas, that they would go back to their longing glances and lingering touches. Sam was proven to be wrong when he walked in on Dean and Cas in the kitchen a few days later.

Cas was almost better due to the fact that Dean had been nursing him back to health, and Dean was in the same boat, so Cas had gotten up to go to the kitchen where Dean was making coffee one morning.

Castiel had sat down at the table, and Dean had soon done the same, passing Cas a hot cup of coffee. “Thank you, Dean,” Castiel said, his voice sounding a lot less rough and nasally now.

“No problem, Cas,” Dean replied, taking a sip from his mug. Castiel shifted in his seat, and Dean could tell that something was up, so he spoke up. “What’s on your mind?” Dean asked, placing his mug on the table as Cas did the same.

“Well, Dean, I know you don't like it when things get sappy, but I want you to know how much I appreciate what you've been doing for me. I know that you were sick too, so it took a lot of effort, and I just want you to know that I recognize that and I really can't thank you enough,” Castiel said, looking up and catching eye contact with Dean. Dean was going to reply, but he was kinda caught in Cas' gaze, admiring his eyes that looked so much better now, not sick anymore. Dean then accidentally let his gaze drop to Cas' lips and he stared for longer than he should have, so he threw his gaze back up to Cas' eyes. Cas' eyes that were now focused on Dean's lips. Shit.

There wasn't a lot of space between them, but the next thing Dean knew, as if things were going in slow motion, Cas was pressing forwards, his hand coming shakily up to Dean's cheek. Dean's eyelids fluttered at the touch, and the next thing he knew, Cas' lips were on his, soft and kind and oh so gentle.

Cas sighed into the kiss, and Dean relaxed into it, letting the two stay there for a minute. It was chaste, just lips pressing against lips, but still, it was perfect. It was more than Dean could have dreamed of.

But then, he remembered how long he had wanted this for, and he deepened the kiss, parting his lips and coaxing Cas to do the same until their tongues were hot and perfect in each other’s mouths.

Castiel let out a soft moan that Dean mirrored because apparently Cas had learned a lot from the pizza man because his tongue was fucking sinful. To Cas, Dean was definitely as good, no doubt about it.

Dean's hand came up to cup the back of Cas’ neck, and Castiel moved even closer to Dean, the heat of their bodies radiating off of each other. The kiss was slow and sensual and everything was going perfect until-

“Woah,” Sam managed as he walked into the kitchen. He probably should have just shut up and let Dean and Cas go at it, but he really couldn't help letting that word slip once he was met with the sight of them full out making out, moaning into each other’s mouths. It was comical really how fast the two parted. Both Cas and Dean stared up at Sam with wide eyes as if they had been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Everyone kind of paused, everyone blinking at each other before Sam spoke up.

“I guess, I’ll just, uh, leave you guys to it then,” he said with an awkward smile as he left the room. Dean and Cas blinked at one another, staring at each other before Cas spoke.

“I've had feelings for you for awhile, like a long while,” Castiel breathed out quickly. Dean blinked again. His head was spinning. He just _kissed Cas_. Cas just kissed him. They kissed.

Dean dropped his head and ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. This was it, there was no more denial. No turning back now. “I have too,” Dean told Castiel, looking back up at him. He actually looked a little surprised to be honest.

“You- really?” he inquired, and Dean nodded sheepishly. Everything went silent, and the two simply sat there, taking in the facts that had been laid down. “What now?” Castiel questioned quietly after a long silence. Dean sighed.

“Well, if we both have feelings for each other then I guess we continue on as a couple,” Dean said, looking up at Cas, who was smiling softly.

“Like, romantically?” Castiel asked, and Dean smiled a little, nodding.

“Romantically, yeah,” he replied. Cas grinned a bit.

“Does this mean that I can kiss you again?” he inquired, and Dean grinned right back, cupping Cas' face and drawing hims forwards.

“Yeah, it does.”

**Author's Note:**

> Well, let me know what you guys thought!! Maybe you'd like to see more of this 'verse, maybe you'd like to see more shipper!Sam *waggles eyebrows* or maybe you'd just like for me to write more fluff instead of the usual hardcore smut that I write, who knows!! Feedback is amazing in any form :D If you guys have a prompt that you'd like to see me fill, or if you just want someone to talk to, then here's [my tumblr](http://ughcas.tumblr.com)!!! With all that being said, thank you guys so so much for reading, I hope that all of you guys are doing well!! :D Xoxo <3


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